This is the first time I’ve been to the Rheingau in a season other than winter. It was also my 8th trip to Germany (in eight years). It seems like a lot, but at the same time, seems like I’ve barely spent any time there at all. Considering four of my trips to Germany came during the time I lived in Prague in 2008, they’ve been spread out fairly well over the past few years. Our last trip was the longest, visiting the Rheingau, Munich (and Dachau), Bonn/Cologne, Hamburg, and (my favorite) Berlin.

Every time I visit, I get this feeling that Germany could be a great place for us. It just feels so right to be there. I took the train from Paris to Frankfurt, and when I got off the train in Frankfurt, it was like coming home. Things made sense and I was back on familiar ground. I could order in the bakery and understand the ticket machines. I knew what was in my food without guessing, and the crowds were back to being orderly and polite. Yay!

Except for my first – brief – trips to Germany, I’ve always had H with me. Which means I’ve always had a translator and a dictionary when I get overwhelmed by speaking German. This time, I was mostly on my own. To my joy (and husband’s amusement upon my return), I was mistake for a native German speaker twice! They too were foreigners, but unlike me, both lived in Germany. And I rarely had Germans try to speak with me in English, which I’ve had happen before. Never fear, there will be no posts in German. 🙂

If you like these photos, you can purchase one or more for your own home! You can find them here, in my Personal Work folder. All my work is printed by a professional lab and shipped directly to you. And then you’ll have a little slice of Germany hanging on your wall.

If you’re thinking of getting married in Germany and are looking for a wedding photographer, please send me an email at emily@emilywenzel.com. I’d love to be a part of your day. [Bonus! I’m fluent in both English & German.]